AIMS AND RELATIONSHIPS

The aim of the training is to foster and educate highly motivated lay ministers of the Gospel for the national ministry of Licensed Lay Minister (Reader) in the Diocese of Oxford.

The vision for LLM ministry has been described inReader Upbeat GS 1689 (2008), and the training in ‘A vision for good practice in Reader/Preacher training’Shaping the Future (2006). AlthoughReader Upbeat majors on the role of the LLM (Reader) as preacher and teacher seeing this as the particular charism of this lay ministry, it also sees the need for other distinct forms of LLM.

The Diocese of Oxford inLiving Faith for the Future has five priorities that also shape the vision of LLM ministry in this Diocese, these are:

1. Sustaining the sacred centre

LLMs are leaders in their life of prayer and congregational worship, and need to maintain and sustain their own spiritual life.

2. Making disciples

LLMs have evangelism and mission at the heart of their ministry, which includes teaching in nurture groups and catechesis.

3. Making a difference in the world
Many LLMs work full or part time in secular organizations and have wide contact with many people. They contribute to mission in chaplaincies and voluntary work. They help interpret the Christian faith to others and help Christians interpret the faith in their own context.

4. Creating vibrant Christian communities

LLMs take a full part in shaping the vision of the local church. They have a ministry of teaching and preaching in a wide variety of contexts that are vital to the life and growth of the church. LLMs may have a central role in the pastoral ministry of a church.

5. Shaping confident, collaborative leadership

LLMs are lay leaders in their local church, working with the Local Ministry Team, incumbent, other ministers and the PCC in setting and implementing the vision, purpose and direction of the local church (parish, benefice, fresh expression).

LLMs are a nationally recognized ministry and are trained according to Provincial requirements and moderated by provincially agreed processes. They differ fromOxford’s diocesan authorized ministries (preacher, minister of extended communion, funeral minister) who are not nationally recognized and who minister only in one parish under the particular care of the incumbent.

About 10 years ago, after considerable consultation, the Diocese of Oxford agreed two possible foci for Licensed Lay Ministry. They were described asTeaching andPastoral Work. Discernment for particular ministry occurs after the completion of the Certificate, and it is possible in the future that other foci will emerge (e.g. pioneer ministry/evangelist).

Your training is a partnership between you as the candidate, your parish where you minister, before during and after training, and the Diocese, which runs the training programme. The training programme will encourage the development of your gifts in your local context and give you new insights in the pursuit of your ministry. This is an exciting process of vocational education, sometimes called formation.

MINISTERIAL DEVELOPMENT – LIFE AND WORSHIP

Shaping the Future envisaged formation for LLM ministry to include:

• Knowledge and understanding
• Competence – ministry skills
• Spirituality

This is worked out in a number of contexts:

• Structured learning in courses
• Work based learning in parish ministry and placements
• Courses on prayer, leading worship, personal prayer

The integration of these elements leads to the preparation for a life of public ministry.

In the programme you are expected to lead worship in your parish, on evening courses and in placements. This is to help you experience and lead a variety of worship, not necessarily in your own tradition.

Within the training you will be exposed to new forms of prayer. LLMs are expected to develop a life of prayer as in daily Morning and Evening prayer. This can take a variety of forms as allowed by Common Worship (in the Service of the Word). LLMs are encouraged to have a Spiritual Director and develop a rule of life. LLMs are required to participate in any daily prayer in their local church. The training should help you develop a richer prayer life to sustain you in ministry.

Some elements of the training are specifically for formation as LLMs:

• Participation in an annual conference
• Participation in annual quiet day
• Participation in annual training weekend
• Annual tutorial reviewing progress
• Participation in the pre licensing meetings
• Meetings with others in training and Area Advisors

You may wish to develop partnerships with other LLMs during training to help develop your understanding of this lay ministry.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

LLM initial training comes in two parts: the more intensive Initial Ministerial Education (IME) Part One, normally 3 years, after which the candidate receives the license to minister. Then, the less intensive IME part 2, for two years, provides some exciting opportunities for ministerial development, one of which is the completion of the Foundation Degree inChristianMinistry.

IME Part 1

IME Part 1 for LLMs is integrated into the Local Ministry Programme rolling programme of courses and the Brookes FdA in ministry. LLMs complete 195 credits over the three years, and are required to attend both New and Old Testament courses at level 5. The first two years complete Part One of the FdA, and thus all LLMs will complete the Cert HE before licensing (unless they have prior equivalent). In the third year they complete five courses at level 5 for assessment, being 75 credits. Completion of the Foundation Degree is normally expected in IME Part 2 for LLMs.

The programme of courses is open to any learners and LLMs train alongside ordination candidates, people training for authorized ministries and those wishing to develop their Christian knowledge. They are highly recommended to bring along with them people from their parish as a part of the training, and as a part of the parish development in the Local Ministry Programme. This forms one of the learning communities experienced in the training – that of the parish, the others being the course, and learning with other LLMs. More information on the role of the parish is in the section on parish development in local ministry.

The first two years of training include:[1]

The diocesan local ministry programme for the second two years is:

[Pastoral Focus units]

LLMs complete one of these years, and both Bible courses prior to licensing, the other units being potentially a part of their IME Part 2.

IME part 1 also requires participation in an annual Conference, and a formation programme prior to licensing. There are also quiet days and a training day on team building. These aspects are seen an integral part of the learning with other LLMs.

Those LLMs who wish to focus on a pastoral ministry will have their training shaped accordingly. They will complete the level 4 part of the FdA and thus be able to preach and lead worship, even if it is not their specialization. At level 5 they will specialize in pastoral modules and go on a pastorally based placement.

So all LLMs must complete the same level 4 units for part one (the first two years):

The third year will at level 5 and units taken depend on which year the learner began and on their focus teaching/preaching or pastoral.

It is possible that there may be curriculum development. We will be in contact with you about that.

Portfolios

Assignments are provided for the local ministry rolling programme of courses. These are designed to be helpful for you to complete the portfolio. The course and the assignments will however not cover everything, as some of the competency will be practical work to do in the parish.

Assignments are normally about 1500 words long, and should include a bibliography. If you are unsure about writing assignments you will be assisted in this onLearning to learn and to think theologically. Assignments should be completed in the month after the course.

Volume of work in a portfolio

Portfolios for 15 credits are expected to contain the following:

1.     Cover sheet

2.     Gift and Competency copied from handbook with cross-referencing to your evidence.

3.     Introduction, a reflection on your learning in doing this competency (400 words).

4.     Marked assignment(s) – e.g. 2 of 1500 words.

5.     Other supporting evidence of your learning e.g. sermons, parish policy documents, services, feedback.  You need to explain how these evidenceyour learning if it is not obvious, for example if you were part of a group that planned a service.

6.     A conclusion identifying points of learning with pointers to personal development (400 words)

7.     An annotated bibliography – 600 words.

Referencing should be done according to the Harvard System (see below). You may email assignments to a tutor. If you post them, then include a stamped addressed envelope. If you hear nothing after a month, contact the tutor again. Sometimes they get lost in transit. Make sure therefore you keep a copy of your work. If there are any problems with getting things marked, contact the Director of LLM Training.

If a course is 5 weeks long, you will be able to have assessed one major assignment of 1500 words. If a course is 10 weeks, you will be able to have assessed 2 assignments of 1500 words. There will be suggested assignments on the course, but you are free to negotiate alternatives to suite you portfolio requirements. The pass mark is 40%. This next link connects you to the marking criteria for assignments. For a 10-week course you should complete one assignment before the course finishes. This link connects you to a page with further suggestions on volume of work.

A full list of the competencies that you need can be downloadedhere. Remember that you will have some options at level 5 and you don’t therefore have to do every one I the download.

Referencing

Each competency needs to have an annotated bibliography using the Harvard system.

Overview of citing the information sources used in your work (OxfordBrookesUniversity)

Specific examples ofreferencing using the Harvard system

You need to complete at least 3 portfolios of 15 credits each year.

Time

You should be able to complete your training within 3 years. To do this you will need to put in your diary time for study, not just courses but time to read, write, reflect on practical work, and collate your portfolio. This will need to be about 10-15 hours a week. You may therefore have to give up doing some things in order to complete the study. You should aim to complete 15 credits per term. You must to plan to put some work in for each moderation.

Licensing

Licensing occurs after the completion of initial training. It includes a compulsory course preparing for licensing, which includes elements such as, work with partners, working on a working agreement, and looking at the licensing service. Licensing is not the point where training ends; IME Part 2 continues after licensing.

IME Part 2

Ongoing training continues after licensing in the IME Part 2 period. This can take a variety of forms:

• Firstly normally the completion of the FdA
• And the Diocesan IME programme for LLMsand / or
• Specialist further training e.g. bereavement training.
• Discussions and workshops in groups containing other people in training for public ministry.

A learning programme is developed with the candidate prior to licensing for this later period. LLMs participate in a ministry review process after 2 years part of which is to help the trainees infocussing their continuing ministerial development (CMD).

Overview of Initial LLM training

A more detailed description of the training is developed in thetwo charts one for an LLMfocussed on preaching and teaching and one for an LLM focused on pastoral ministry.

View Training Pathways Document (PDF)

Comprising:The normal 3-year training pathway for LLM (preaching teaching focus) on the Local Ministry Programme andThe normal 3-year training pathway for LLM (pastoral focus) on the Local Ministry Programme

STAFF AND STUDENTS

There are a number of key people in your training.

·       The Director of LLM Training who oversees your training and reports back on your progress. All issues to do with training and pastoral issues in IME Part 1 should be directed to this person.

·       YourMentor helps you with your portfolio and the first marking of work. They are a first line for questioning the programme and preparing portfolios.

·       Your Training Incumbent is there to help you in your pastoral work in the parish. You need to be meeting regularly and reporting back on your progress.

·       SupportGroup. It is recommended that you set up such a group in the parish who will support you in your training by prayer and encouragement and may be come on some of the courses with you (which they do for free).

·       The Area Adviser. This is a key person locally to whom you may go for help and practical direction. They take a significant role in selection and may invite you to occasional meetings.

·       Your Course Tutor. These will be people who teach the courses. They are responsible to mark the assignments that you produce, but that needs to be in a reasonable period after the end of the course.

GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE

The board that overseas the training is the Local Ministry Programme Board, which is responsible to the Diocesan Board of Mission. Representative of the LLMs in training will sit on the board.

There is also a Course Committee for the Oxford Brookes FdA. LLM representatives will also sit on this body.

Both have appeals procedures in the event of serious problems. Issues should be taken up with the Director of Training in the first instance.

The Local Ministry Programme is part of a validated programme with the Ministry Division which is done in a single partnership with the Dioceses of Salisbury, Guildford,Winchester,Portsmouth and ourselves which forms part of the South Central Regional Training Partnership.   The Local Ministry Programme Principals for the Regional Training Partnership can be found on moodle.

The Diocese pays for the cost of the courses, and may be willing to finance alternative forms of training. This needs to be decided in consultation with the Director of LLM training.

[1] Selection takes place at several points in the year, with candidates able to begin training immediately. For the sake of simplicity this document presents the programme with an autumn start for illustrative purposes.